King and Queen of Sweden will open this summer’s Bayreuth
mainKing Carl Gustav and Queen Silvia of Sweden will attend the festival for the first time, it has been announced.
They will attend the first night of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, directed by Barrie Kosky, conducted by Philippe Jordan.
In life, aristocracy.
In art, democracy.
Reverse attribution to Arturo Toscanini.
It’s funny how these productions are now so temporary. It was only ten years ago that Katharina Wagner introduced her own new Meistersinger, and in some German cities productions are replaced after only five seasons.
Actually since the Festival restarted in 1951, with the exception of Wieland’s Parsifal, which lasted 23 successive seasons, all the operas have tended to have at least one new production each decade. Wieland’s second Meistersinger (1963) was only revived once.
Let me think who made that decision….
Thanks, John. I guess it makes sense there since they have only ten pieces to do. Wasn’t thinking.
In what function are they going to open the Festival?
Distinguished audience members. Probably they will get privileged seating in the VIP box. They will breathe the same bad air as anyone though.
They look like Bridget Jones’s parents.